Well ok, plot bunnies and dust bunnies. The little bastards have teamed up.
My brain is frying with all the things I'm trying to keep in it, at the moment. I'm slogging through chapter three revisions at the moment, and I just wasn't happy with what I was coming up with. I mean, there were certain elements I knew I wanted to introduce in that chapter that I'd missed in the first draft, but when I stuck them in, I lost the narrator's voice. So I was all bummed about that most of the afternoon.
Then, on the bus ride home (let's hear it for public transportation!), I had a realization. I have plot. I have sub plot. What I need to introduce is meta plot! See, I confess, I am eyeing this project to be the first in a series. Doesn't everyone want to write a series? This doesn't HAVE to be a series. It's a rather pleasant little tale on its own. But...if the characters happened to show up again, I have plans for them! And, one of those plans is an overall meta-plot. And I can start laying subtle groundwork for it now!
And I promise that there will be nothing at the end of this book that would cause a reader to gnash their teeth and froth at the mouth if there were never a sequel. Cross my heart.
So, my word for the day is meta-plot, and I may spend my three day weekend pondering that.
Status: Tweaked chapter 2, and added about 900 words to chapter 3.
Wow, I'm impressed: plot, sub-plot, and now meta-plot! Sounds good. :)
ReplyDeletePlot is probably the thing I struggle with the most in my writing -- if I'm not really careful, my characters just kind of wander around talking to each other. So I am seriously impressed with your three levels of plot!
Congratulations on your bus-ride inspiration! :-) It's amazing the various depths books can include.
ReplyDeleteI had a similar revelation with my current WIP. My original outline involved just a single book. As I wrote the first draft there was a character that demanded a greater role then I'd originally planned. He's decided he'll be the star of the sequel but it requires some foundation set out in this book.
It's exciting to explore the depth and life the plot develops as it forms from the skeleton of an outline into the full body of a final draft. :-)
Best of luck with your own!
Congrats on the break through! Plot bunnies and dust bunnies. If your book is as entertaining as your blog it will do well. Good Luck
ReplyDeleteI love it when a plan comes together! I guess I'll be the odd duck out, I'm crossing my fingers my novel doesn't turn into a series. eek. But maybe we writers just can't resist...I left a wee window open. so. congrats!
ReplyDeletePlot bunnies?! Lordy. Now I have something else to watch out for as I endeavor to get my WIP on the road.
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean I need extra carrots?
And gracious, you do think it through. I'm doing a mystery so I have to think about tossing in a few clunker clues to lead my detective and readers astray just enough so they don't figure out my murderer too quickly...
Save "Plot Bunnies and Dust Bunnies" for later use as the title for your "My Writers Life" memoir.
ReplyDeleteSometimes working out plot and sub-plots reminds me of a detective story. It can be interesting, but also frustrating.
Bill Fullerton
Plot bunnies... that is just too funny.
ReplyDeleteCongrats of finding the solution to your plot troubles. I just love it when inspiration strikes at the oddest times!